The instant invention relates to an improved cooling arrangement for a machine tool in general and a creep feed grinding machine in particular. Creep feed grinding machines form part of the state of the art. For example, a creep feed grinding machine of the type discussed herein is manufactured and marketed by International Tool Machines, Inc. of Westport, CT and the standard model designation of such a machine is ITM 3000.
Such a creep feed grinding machine may require performing high precision grinding operations. In such case it is of crucial importance to keep the major moving parts of the grinding machine at a constant temperature by means of a cooling medium (oil/water) for purposes of preventing such major moving parts of the grinding machine to change their dimensions due to temperature fluctuations. Since such grinding machines operate at their grinding region at high temperature the major machine components of the creep feed grinding machine may require adjustments during their operation which cannot be 100% controlled.
The grinding machines of the state of the art, whether they are of the creep feed grinding type or regular grinding type, are all designed so that, the major machine base supports on its top all slides, spindles, etc. If the machine operates with only a small amount of cooling medium it requires only a limited enclosed space around the grinding wheel. However, if large amounts of cooling medium are required or cooling is effected by means of a pressurized cooling medium being sprayed onto the grinding wheel, especially in creep feed grinding machines, the entire machine base is covered by means of a hood. Such a creep feed grinding machine is built to be rigid and such a machine is quite large because all slides must be evenly arranged on the top of the machine base in such a way that they do not interfere with each other during their operative movements. The machines of the state of the art generally include bellows covering the slides and ball screws for purposes of protecting them against contact with the cooling medium. In certain state of the art creep feed grinding machines covers are even provided with pressurized air to prevent the cooling medium from contacting and destroying the slides by way of corrosion. All these protective means for covering the moving parts of the machine cannot prevent a 100% protection against moisture, in particular, if soluble water is used as a cooling medium. It is, of course, understood that the arrangement of the invention can be used with machine tools other than creep feed grinding machines where contact of the cooling medium and the slides may detract from the operating precision of the machine tool.